| The
Crossing - September 2007 Edition
Welcome fans of the recorded
and visual arts! Are you in for a treat!
It’s September and if you
are at all aware of how these things work, then you know that with the
dawn of each September comes with it a certifiable
bounty of new plastic! You
heard that right...plastic!! But, this isn’t just any ordinary plastic,
folks. This is plastic that contains our living, breathing souls... Well,
not quite.
How about a reflection of
our living souls? That’s better.
Where to begin? Let’s go
over a few items coming out this month...
KT Tunstall - Yes, her real
name’s Kate, but she likes to go by KT. She’s 32, adopted at a young age,
half Irish, half Chinese and all Scottish as she
was born in Edinburgh. She
had great success with her debut album entitled Eye to the Telescope
which produced such radio hits as “Other Side of the World,” “Suddenly
I See” and the tune that really got her notice, “Black Horse and the Cherry
Tree”. I first saw her perform this latter tune on Late Night w/Conan O’Brien
using a stompbox to go along with her acoustic guitar playing. The ‘wee
bastard pedal’ as she calls it and demonstrates on her interim album Acoustic
Extravaganza bonus DVD, lets her play guitar while being accompanied
by a strong beat and various repeating percussion noises however she sees
fit to work with the song. On record, however, she is accompanied by a
full band. Her new effort is called Drastic Fantastic and it’ll
be out
on the 18th of this month.
With a title like that and a cover that has her looking a bit like Suzy
Quatro from the '70’s throwing shapes with a mirrored bass, you can bet
she’s gonna be mixing up her sound on this new album, which can only be
a good thing. An artist willing to grow and not just relying on past success.
She can sound a bit like Patty Griffin or Joan Osborne or Norah Jones at
different times and she plays a bluesy alt-pop, but that may yet be just
the cornerstone sound of this evolving artist. She’s got a knack for melodies
and hooks. Look out for KT Tunstall to be touring throughout the Fall.
Steve Earle - If Steve Earle
is the Bruce Springsteen of the South, then I’m sure somebody somewhere
is calling Bruce Springsteen the Steve Earle
of the North. Don’t think
about it too hard. The point is they are both artists/performers with not
great voices, but who are damn good writers. Mr. Earle has taken a few
years off since his last album but is about to release his 12th release
called Washington Square Serenade, a more personal homage of sorts
to his new found home of Greenwich Village in New York City. A long time
resident of Nashville and Houston and even a jail or two, Steve Earle is
a guy of experience and always writes in a gritty, honest way. I think
this new effort is gonna be very strong and a step up from the last album
The Revolution
Starts...Now
which seemed a bit rushed and incomplete. His wife, the beautiful and talented
Allison Moorer appears on the track “Days Aren’t Long
Enough”. Look for Washington
Square Serenade on the 25th. The DVD edition comes with a walking tour
of Greenwich Village with Steve Earle and three acoustic performances.
You can expect Steve to be performing more than a few shows this Fall too.
I’m just hoping Allison opens. Crossed fingers!
The Hooters - I’m not 100
percent sure this album is gonna show up this month although I’ve seen
the September release date in a few different places. It’s gonna be virtually
self-released on an indie label of which I’m not certain. It IS however
out in Europe and being sold at the band’s shows in Germany and elsewhere
in Europe. It’s called Time Stand Still and it’s the 6th album from
the Philadelphia fivesome. The band is made up of all long time members
Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman, John Lilley, Fran Smith Jr. and David Uosikkinen.
Time Stand Still is truly a homegrown project, self-produced and
self-financed.
They are known for their
unbridled enthusiasm in making music and their multi-instrumental dexterity.
Their pop roots actually go back to their fondness of the music by the
Beatles, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. They’ve covered a couple of
each of their tracks in the past. They are also known for their work with
both Cyndi Lauper and Joan Osborne. For something rare, look for the Largo
project in which they work with both Lauper and Osborne as well as Levon
Helm and Garth Hudson of
The Band, Willie Nile, Carole King, Taj Mahal and members of The Chieftains.
It came out in 1998 on Mercury Records. Time Stand Still should
show up soon and hopefully look out for a few US shows in the near future
too.
With a 2 CD deluxe edition
of the classic August and Everything After by the Counting Crows,
a brand new box set compiled by Emmylou Harris herself
entitled Songbird
and an all new album by Mark Knopfler among other releases, it’s a great
time to discover and revisit some quality music this month and the months
ahead. Add to all that, a new record from Lucinda Williams’ influenced
Mary Gauthier, new imports from Blue Rodeo, The Proclaimers and Fish,
not to mention the Live
Earth Concerts and U2’s Popmart on DVD and you’ve got a month that can’t
be beat........until, of course, the next month.
Let ‘er rock...
Recently released and not
mentioned in last edition:
* Ezra Furman - Banging Down the Doors
* Swirling Eddies - The Midget, the Speck and the Molecule
* Oh Susanna - Short Stories
* Arlo Guthrie - In Times Like These
* Quietdrive - When All That’s Left is You
* Y&T - One Hot Night Live (2 DVD’s/1 CD.)
9/4
* Fish - 13th Star (Import; http://www.the-company.com/latest.htm)
* Jars of Clay - Live Monsters (7 song EP.)
* Jars of Clay - Essential (2 CD best of.)
* Will Kimbrough - EP (8 songs.)
* Patti Scialfa - Play it as it Lays (Wife of Bruce Springsteen.)
* Greg Brown - Yellow Dog (live; new date.)
* Ben Lee - Ripe
* Michelle Shocked - To Heaven U Ride
* Suzy Bogguss - Sweet Danger
* New Model Army - High
* Circus Maximus - Isolate
* Doyle Bramhall - Is It News
* Ted Nugent - Love Grenade
* Hanoi Rocks - Street Poetry (Import.)
* Glenn Hughes - This Time Around: An Anthology 1970-2007 (Import.)
* SXSW Festival 2007 - DVD
* Brothers of a Feather: Chris & Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes
Live at the Roxy - DVD
* Georgia Rule - DVD
* Stephanie Daley - DVD
* In The Pit - DVD
* The Wind that Shakes the Barley - DVD
* DOA: Dead or Alive - DVD
9/11
* Ann Wilson - Hope & Glory (singer of Heart.)
* Ani Difranco - Canon (2 CD best of.)
* Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplan - Kane, Welch & Kaplan
* The Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
* Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd
* Black Francis - Bluefinger
* Kanye West - Graduation
* The Go! Team - Proof of Youth
* Emma Pollock - Watch the Fireworks
* Vic Chesnutt - North Star Deserter
* Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
* James Blunt - All the Lost Souls
* Joe Henry - Civilians
* Jonathan Rice - Further North
* Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
* Film School - Hideout
* Grand National - A Drink and a Quick Decision
* Joan Osborne - Christmas Means Love (reissue.)
* Elvis Costello - My Aim is True (2 CD Deluxe Edition.)
* Various Artists - Give Us Your Poor (Bruce Springsteen w/Pete Seeger,
Natalie Merchant, Jewel and Buffalo Tom among others.)
* Various Artists - Monster Ballads Xmas
* The Case For Christ - DVD
* Waitress - DVD
* Away From Her - DVD
* Snow Cake - DVD
* Triad Election - DVD
9/18
* The Hooters - Time Stand Still (Tentative date; U.S. release.)
* Mark Knopfler - Kill To Get Crimson (w/DVD.)
* KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (w/DVD.)
* Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark
* Eddie Vedder - Into The Wild Soundtrack
* The Proclaimers - Life With You (Import.)
* Thurston Moore - Trees Outside the Academy
* Pat Monahan - Last of Seven (singer of Train.)
* Jeremy Fisher - Goodbye Blue Monday
* Kevin Michael - S/T
* Kevin Drew - Spirit If...
* Simon & Garfunkel - Live 1969
* Billy Joe Shaver - Everybodys Brother
* Reba McEntire - Duets
* Cindy Lee Berryhill - Beloved Stranger
* Jim Luther Dickinson - Killers from Space
* Dropkick Murphys - The Meanest of Times
* The Donnas - Bitchin’
* Rogue Wave - Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
* New Found Glory - From the Screen to the Stereo: part 2
* Nelly - Brass Knuckles
* Mya - Liberation
* Ministry - The Last Sucker
* Counting Crows - August and Everything After (2 CD Deluxe Edition.)
* Emmylou Harris - Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems (4 CDs/1
DVD box set.)
* Various Artists - Song of America (3 CD box set.)
* U2 - Popmart: Live in Mexico City - DVD
* Johnny Cash - Best of Johnny Cash Show - DVD
* Bob Dylan - MTV Unplugged - CD/DVD
* We Are Marshall - DVD
* Next - DVD
* Grindhouse - DVD
* Beyond The Gates - DVD
* Black Book - DVD
* Bug - DVD
* Gracie - DVD
* Lucky You - DVD
* Pittsburgh - DVD
9/25
* Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade (w/DVD.)
* Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
* The Cult - Born Into This
* P.J. Harvey - White Chalk
* Pieta Brown - Remember the Sun (Daughter of Greg.)
* Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers
* Iron & Wine - Shepherds Dog
* Bettye LaVette - Scene of the Crime
* The Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
* Mainstay - Become Who You Are
* Tree63 - Sunday
* Stars - In our Bedroom after the War
* Iron & Wine - Shepherds Dog
* Josie Gonzalez - In Our Nature
* Matt Pond, PA - Last Light
* Brian Setzer - Wolfgangs Big Night Out
* Herbie Hancock - River: the Joni Letters
* Joni Mitchell - Shine
* Debbie Harry - Necessary Evil (Singer of Blondie.)
* Melissa Etheridge - The Awakening
* Me’shell Ndegeocello - The World has Made Me...
* Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
* Tesla - Real to Reel: Vol. 2
* Rascal Flatts - Still Feels Good
* The Flower Kings - Sum of No Evil
* Blue Rodeo - Small Miracles (Import.)
* Pearl Jam - Picture in a Frame: Live in Italy -DVD
* David Gilmour - Live from Royal Albert Hall -DVD
* Mark Schultz - Broken & Beautiful - CD/DVD
* Twisted Sister - A Twisted Christmas Live - DVD
* Various Artists - Live Earth Concerts - CD/DVD
* Evening - DVD
* Knocked Up - DVD
10/2
* Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Magic
* John Fogerty - Revival
* Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction
* Dashboard Confessional - Shade of Poison Trees
* Ian Brown - The World is Yours (singer of Stone Roses.)
* Matchbox Twenty - Exile on Mainstream (Best of w/EP of 6 new songs.)
* Cake - B-Sides & Rarities
* The Spill Canvas - Conduit
* Idiot Pilot - Wolves
* They Might Be Giants - Here Come the 123’s
* Faith Hill - Hits
* The Vines - Best of
* J.J. Cale - Rewind (Box set.)
* Bob Dylan - Dylan (3 CD deluxe edition.)
* Mick Jagger - Very Best of (w/DVD.)
* Chicago - 40th Anniversary: Very Best of (2 CD set.)
* Megadeth - Warchest (4CD/1DVD box set.)
* Various Artists - Heavy Metal Box: 1968-1991 (4 CD boxset on the Rhino
label.)
* The Ramones - It’s Alive: 1974-1996 - DVD
* The Jungle Book - 40th Anniversary DVD
* 1408 - DVD
* Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer - DVD
* Jindabyne - DVD
* Civic Duty - DVD
* Day Night Day Night - DVD
* The War - Ken Burns DVD series on WWII.
10/9
* Justin Currie - What is Love For (Singer of Del Amitri; Import.)
* Marc Cohn - Join the Parade
* Eric Clapton - Complete Clapton
* LeAnn Rimes - Family
* World Party - Best in Show
* Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
* Beirut - Flying Club Cup
* Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
* Alter Bridge - Blackbird
* Plumb - Blink
* She Wants Revenge - This is Forever
* Van Zant - My Kind of Country
* The Hives - The Black and White Album (Import.)
* Bob Mould - Circle of Friends: Live at the 9:30 Club - DVD
* Evan Almighty - DVD
* 28 Weeks Later - DVD
* The Namesake - DVD
* You Kill Me - DVD
* Reign Over Me - DVD
* Surf’s Up - DVD
* Black Sheep - DVD
* Poltergeist - 25th Anniversary DVD
10/16
* Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II
* Jimmy Eat World - Chase the Light
* Thrice - Alchemy Index Vols I & II
* R.E.M. - Live in Dublin - CD/DVD
* AC/DC - Plug Me In - 3 DVD set
* Jimi Hendrix - Live at Monterey ‘67 - DVD
* A Mighty Heart - DVD
* The Reaping - DVD
* The Hoax - DVD
* The Invisible - DVD
* My Best Friend - DVD
10/23
* Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
* Helloween - Gambling with the Devil
* Coheed and Cambria - No World for Tomorrow
* Angels & Airwaves - I Empire
* David Gahan - Hourglass
* Meet The Robinsons - DVD
* Mr. Brooks - DVD
* Into Great Silence - DVD
* Home of the Brave - DVD
* The Compant - DVD
* Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures - DVD
10/30
* The Eagles - The Long Road Out of Eden (2 CD set; Walmart exclusive.)
* Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
* Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre
* Various Artists - I’m Not There (Tribute to Bob Dylan.)
* Spiderman 3 - DVD
* The Wendell Baker Story - DVD
* No End in Sight - DVD
11/6
* Counting Crows - Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings
* James Taylor - One Man Band
* Garth Brooks - Ultimate Hits
* Stevie Ray Vaughan - Solos, Sessions & Encores
* Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride & Joy - DVD
* Ratatouille - DVD
* Sicko - DVD
11/13
* Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits
* Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
* Queensryche - Take Cover (Covering U2, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, The
Police and Jesus Christ Superstar.)
* Led Zeppelin - Mothership (Best of compilation.)
* Shrek the Third - DVD
* Amazing Grace - DVD
* Close Encounters of the Third Kind - 30th Anniversary DVD
11/20
* Seal - System
* The Santa Clause 3 - DVD
* Manufactured Landscapes - DVD
LYRICS of the MONTH:
I woke up this morning
and none of the news was good
Death machines were rumblin’
‘cross the ground where Jesus stood
And the man on my TV
told me that it had always been that way
And there was nothin’
anyone could do or say
And I almost listened
to him
Yeah I almost lost my
mind
Then I regained my senses
again
And looked into my heart
to find
That I believe that one
fine day all the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords
forever in Jerusalem
Well maybe I’m only dreamin’
and maybe I’m just a fool
But I don’t remember
learning how to hate in Sunday school
Somewhere along the way
I strayed and I never looked back again
But I still find some
comfort now and then
Then the storm comes rumblin’
in
And I can’t lay me down
And the drums are drummin’
again
And I can’t stand the
sound
But I believe there’ll
come a day when the lion and the lamb
Will lie down in peace
together in Jerusalem
And there’ll be no barricades
then
There’ll be no wire or
walls
And we can wash all this
blood from our hands
And all this hatred from
our souls
And I believe that on
that day all the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords
forever in Jerusalem.”
Steve Earle, the song “Jerusalem”
from the album Jerusalem.
See you in Rocktober!
Chris Barlow
http://www.kttunstall.com
http://www.steveearle.com
http://www.hootersmusic.com
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